Willson Contreras and Marcelo Mayer (2-for-2) broke open a tied game with sixth-inning home runs after Sonny Gray turned in a quality start.
“Obviously, we love playing here,” Mayer said. “This city is amazing.”
Boston is scheduled to hand the ball to 24-year-old left-hander Connelly Early for his sixth career start.
“That’s what we expect — go out there, pitch, play decent defense, and timely hitting,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “I think everything starts with pitching. That’s who we’re gonna be. (Friday) was a fun day at the ballpark.”
Early threw 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts in his season debut last Sunday against the Reds. He became the youngest Red Sox pitcher to strike out at least five and allow one or fewer runs within the first three games of a season since Babe Ruth in 1916.
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The effort continued Early’s consistent start at the big-league level, as he has a 2.19 ERA through 24 2/3 career innings.
First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. Here’s the preview:
PADRES (2-5): Tatis RF, Laureano LF, Andujar DH, Machado 3B, Bogaerts SS, Fermin C, France 1B, Cronenworth 2B, Johnson CF
Pitching: RHP Randy Vásquez (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
RED SOX (2-5): Anthony DH, Story SS, Duran LF, Contreras 1B, Abreu RF, Durbin 3B, Mayer 2B, Narváez C, Rafaela CF
Pitching: LHP Connelly Early (0-0, 1.69 ERA)
Time: 4:10 p.m.
TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
Padres vs. Early: Has not faced any San Diego batters
Red Sox vs. Vásquez: Wilyer Abreu 1-3, Willson Contreras 1-3, Jarren Duran 1-2, Caleb Durbin 0-5, Isiah Kiner-Falefa 1-7, Ceddanne Rafaela 1-3, Connor Wong 1-2, Masataka Yoshida 1-4
Stat of the day: Randy Vasquez, who began his career with the Yankees in 2023, has made two career starts against the Red Sox. He did not record a decision in either game, pitching to a 3.52 ERA in 7 2/3 innings.
Notes: The Padres, who have yet to post back-to-back wins this season, were limited to four hits Friday during their third loss in as many series openers … Wednesday’s 7-1 win over the Giants remains the only game in which the Padres have scored more than three runs … Despite the team’s overall struggles, Gavin Sheets continues to break out of an early-season slump. The first baseman had two hits, scored a run and drove in another, making him 5 for 10 since an 0 for 10 showing through four games … Xander Bogaerts, who went 0-for-4 in his first career game against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, is just 4 for 28 with one extra-base hit this season.
Cam Kerry can be reached at [email protected].
